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    Used Two-Row Midsized SUVs With the Best Fuel Economy

    These models are reliable and family-friendly but not as bulky as three-row SUVs

    2018 Lexus RX Hybrid
    2020 Lexus RX Hybrid
    Photo: Lexus

    One way you can save money when shopping for an SUV is to focus on 5-year-old used models. That’s because they’re usually new enough for you to get contemporary features and safety systems wrapped up in a body that’s styled a lot like models in a new-car showroom. Yet they’re old enough that previous owners have shouldered most of the depreciation. These vehicles typically sell for about half of what they cost when new—or even less.

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    In addition, our data shows that buying a used model doesn’t mean you’re forced to sacrifice fuel economy to get the space and all-weather traction you want. In fact, all of the models below were designed and built recently enough that their performance in our tests—such as those for acceleration, braking, and fuel economy—is on a par with brand-new cars.

    To help steer you to the best choices, we’ve assembled a list of the most fuel-efficient midsized SUVs from the 2020 model year. All have average or better reliability, according to CR’s Annual Auto Surveys, where we ask Consumer Reports members to tell us about what went wrong on their own cars. They’re ranked in order of their overall fuel economy during their CR tests when new.

    We include which active safety features are standard and optional for each model, such as forward collision warning (FCW), automatic emergency braking (AEB), blind spot warning (BSW), and rear cross traffic warning (RCTW).

    This article is available to CR members.

    Mainstream SUVs

    Luxury SUVs

    Shopping for a Used Car?

    Browse the CR Used Car Marketplace for local pre-owned deals.


    Jon Linkov

    Jon Linkov is the deputy auto editor at Consumer Reports. He has been with CR since 2002, covering varied automotive topics including buying and leasing, maintenance and repair, ownership, reliability, used cars, and electric vehicles. He manages CR’s lineup of special interest publications, hosts CR’s “Talking Cars” podcast, and writes and edits content for CR’s online and print products. An avid cyclist, Jon also enjoys driving his ’80s-era sports car and instructing at track days.